From Pilot to Clinical Standard: How the Region VII RESPTC Approaches Carecube Implementation

Angie Vasa, MSN, RN, is the Director of Emergency Preparedness and Special Pathogen Programs at Nebraska Medicine. Her nursing background includes over two decades of clinical experience with specialized expertise in the areas of geriatrics, trauma critical care, solid organ transplant, and high consequence infectious diseases. She joined the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit team in 2009 and continues to be an active clinical member while serving as the program director. Ms. Vasa provided direct patient care for the patients with Ebola Virus Disease admitted to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit in 2014-2015, the first individuals admitted to the National Quarantine Unit with SARS-CoV-2 in 2020 and coordinated regional response efforts for Lassa fever in 2024.

Angie also served as the Nebraska Medicine primary investigator supporting the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Project Firstline as an innovation partner focused on advancing IPC programs in small and rural hospitals by leveraging innovative technological solutions to bridge knowledge and practice gaps. The work centered on developing and implementing IPC assessment tools, virtual consultation platform, extended reality educational modules, and an artificial intelligence real time education and consultation center to advance IPC programs in under resourced settings.

Jackson Gruber, BS, is a healthcare emergency preparedness professional focused on high-consequence infectious disease preparedness, planning, and response. As the Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Program Manager for HHS Region VII, he leads regional coordination with public health agencies, hospitals, and EMS partners to strengthen healthcare system readiness for high-consequence infectious diseases. Jackson has been with Nebraska Medicine since 2017 and previously worked clinically in the Emergency Department and the COVID Intensive Care Unit during the early stages of the pandemic. Additionally, Jackson is a member of the Hospital Incident Command team serving in the communications Liaison and Decon Team leader role. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Emergency Management Workgroup for the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC), supporting national collaboration and best practices in healthcare emergency preparedness.

Morgan Shradar, MPH, BSN, RN, has more than 20 years of experience in the operating room and more than 14 years of experience with the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. She has previous experience as a lead surgical nurse where she managed procedural areas (endoscopy, surgery, cardiac cath lab/interventional radiology, preop/pacu, and sterile processing). She has also managed process improvement initiatives for supply chain improvements and patient experience within procedural areas at Nebraska Medicine Bellevue. Morgan is a nurse coordinator with the Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center (RESPTC).

Morgan is a task lead with NICS, which is focused on developing XR/AR education for the small and rural hospital on infection control practices within the sterile processing department. She is also the co-director of the National Disaster Medical Response Infectious Disease Training program, which has focused on educating and training the NDMS teams on infection control practices to ready them for deployment to both austere and hospital missions. Morgan collaborates in program development and partnership of various organizations focused on infectious disease education and training. Morgan began her career in 2000 as an operating room nurse for Nebraska Medicine where she joined the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit team in 2009 to play an integral role in treating patients with Ebola Virus Disease during the 2014-2015 activation.